FRANCE AND THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1528, 6 July 1886, Page 3

FRANCE AND THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Melbourne, June 30,

H.M.S. Undine arrived at Brisbane last week from New Hebrides. Captain Cross, who was at the inlands at the lime of the visit of the French warships, the Dives and the Magellan, emphatically denies that there has been any formal annexation or occupation of the Islands by the captain of the Dives or the French Government, Up to the time he was leaving the New Hebrides there had been nothing in the action of the captains of the Dives and Magellan to excite a auspicion that annexation was intended. The small body of troops landed on the island of Mallicolo, and the mein body of about 100 landed at Havannah harbor, were simply placed at each place for the protection of French subjects and the intimidation of the natives, who have been very aggressive lately, several murders having been recently committed, Captain Cross himself knows of a case in which two Frenchmen were killed and two others fired at. The French officers state that their mission is the protection of these people, and Capt. Cross declines to think that there is any reason to doubt it. The only French flag flying at Havannah harbor is over the store of the Compagnie Franfaise des Neuvelles Hebrides, and this is merely the customary signal of nationality, like the British flag over the British stores. There is nothing official about it, and as far as he knows there has been no annexation, no proclamation of a protectorate, no hoisting. News from New Caledonia to June SOth says nothing fresh has transpired in regard to the New Hebrides. The French troops at Mallicolo island are still stationed in tents, but at Havannah Harbor wooden barracks are being erected. The acting British consul’s despatch to the Governor of New South Wales has been re-publisbed in the New Caledonian newspapers. The paragraph in which he declared he could not trust the post office with his letter has placed him in a veritable hornet’s nest, and has not tended to promote good feeling. The Rev. D. D. McDonald, one of the Presbyterian missionaries in the New Hebrides, writes to the Chairman of the Missions Committee in Melbourne—“ We understand that the islands are not yet formally Annexed to France, but this seems to amount to virtually taking possession by the French Government,” Simultaneously with the soldiers a number of immigrants had arrived from France to be settled ou the islands.

The Noumea Independent of the 22nd inst. announces that a petition has been circulated in Noumea requesting the Government to formally annex the New Hebrides group, and asks everyone to sign it. '■